A hearty soup full of vegetables, shredded chicken, cannellini beans, pesto and topped off with parmesan cheese!
Have you disposed of all of your Halloween candy yet? And when I say disposed I mean have you eaten it or were you good and gave it away? I imagine when you have kids it’s hard not to pick through their stash and help yourself to some, I know that I would be. While I was out running yesterday morning trying to burn off the Reese’s and 10,000 candy corns I ate I saw some mini peppermint patties laying on the sidewalk and thought how much I love sticking those in the freezer and then eating them when they’re frozen….clearly my sugar buzz had not worn off yet.
Today is a new day though and it’s time to get back on track. I love having days where I eat what I want and don’t care, but usually once that day is over I’m ready to get back to my normal eating habits which involve lots of protein and vegetables. This Pesto Chicken and Vegetable Soup fits into both of those categories and it tastes delicious too!
If I’m going to eat soup as a main course then it needs to be hearty. Tomato soup, as much as I love you, you are not a main dish kind of soup. This pesto chicken and vegetable soup however is! The soup is so loaded with healthy ingredients that it’s almost more like a stew except you don’t have to cook it for hours and hours. Aside from chopping up all the vegetables, it’s also really easy to make. It’s a great soup to make when you have a bunch of vegetables that you need to use up or some leftover chicken from the night before.
I used butternut squash, carrots, kale, onion and green beans when I made the soup, but you could easily substitute any of the vegetables for whatever you have on hand. I had a leftover chicken breast from the night before that I shredded and threw in, but rotisserie chicken would be another option if you’re short on time. The pesto added into the soup and more dolloped on top adds a delicious fresh Italian herb flavor to the soup. That along with the shredded parmesan cheese makes this soup extra special. I ate the soup as is, but it would also be delicious with a piece of crusty artisan bread if you’re craving some extra carbs!
Pesto Chicken and Vegetable Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cups cubed butternut squash, cut into approximately 1/2 inch cubes
- 1/2 cup diced carrots
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced or grated
- 1 cup green beans, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
- 4 cups chopped kale, stems removed
- 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
- 15 ounce can white beans, rinsed and drained
- 6 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons pesto
- 1 1/2 cups shredded boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Shredded Parmesan cheese and extra pesto for topping the soup
Instructions
- In a large pot heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot add in the butternut squash and carrots and cook for 3 minutes. Add in the onion, garlic, green beans, Italian seasoning, oregano, salt and pepper. Cook for another 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add in the kale and cook until it starts to wilt. Add in the diced tomatoes, beans, shredded chicken, chicken broth, and pesto and stir everything together. Bring the soup to a boil then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover with a lid and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
- Taste for seasoning then serve the soup topped with shredded parmesan cheese and a dollop of pesto if desired.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 333Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 32mgSodium: 491mgCarbohydrates: 40gFiber: 11gSugar: 8gProtein: 26g
